The European Commission has suspended its airport slot requirement until June.
Suspending the rule, which requires airlines to use at least 80 percent of their allotted slots in order to maintain them, gives airlines flexibility amid cratering demand and prevents them from having to run empty or near-empty "ghost flights" merely to keep their slots. Airlines had requested the suspension run until October to cover the full season, and the EC will have to review extending to cover that period by April 15, according to the International Air Transport Association.
"Airlines are struggling to match capacity to the fast-changing situation, and the Commission’s decision to suspend slot use rules until June means that airlines can make these critical decisions immediately—without worrying about the impact on future availability of slots," according to IATA regional VP for Europe Rafael Schvartzman. "This is much needed and most welcome; however, given all the uncertainties, it is disappointing that the decision does not cover the full season."